Work Space Matters

It may not seem like such a big deal at first, but your immediate surroundings can have a strangely great impact on productivity, motivation, and performance, especially so in the office.

A survey of a thousand people even revealed that because of work environment, 50% of employees are not engaged in the job they do and up to 20% are actively disengaged.

Fortunately, with a bit of dazzle in office design and decor, things can turn around for the better.

Here are four tips to help you have a fun and functional work space.

1. Add a dash of greenery.

Apart from sprouting color and life on your desk, indoor plants can do a lot for your health. It purifies the air, reduces stress levels, and prevents colds and coughs. Since we tend to stay in the office for the majority of the day, these little health perks can do so much for you in the long run.

The same survey showed that 85% of workers feel their environment aids in productivity with plants around the work space. It is also said to be very therapeutic.

You don’t need to go overboard. A little plant or two will do. If you are concerned about your lack of green thumbs, worry not! There are plants that can live with little watering and plants that can live under weak lighting. It is all about the plant you pick.

2. Raise your laptop to eye level.

There is an applied science called ergonomics which concerns itself with easy and safe design and arrangement. Raising your laptop or computer to eye level is what you would call an ergonomic upgrade – a simple and efficient one at that.

Staring at a screen positioned in an uncomfortable angle, or a little below your eye level can result to a stiff neck, slouching, or disrupted posture. The simple act of keeping this screen in a more comfortable height can easily increase comfort.

This can be done with a laptop lifter, or even in DIY style with a couple of books or a thick stack of papers.

3. Put in some personal touches.

Tendency is you stay in the office for longer periods of time as compared to staying at home. It is only natural that you add in personal flourishes and touches to make you feel more at ease and more inspired.

Personalizing your desk space can be done in an insane multitude of ways. Tack up your favorite pictures on a bulletin board, or put them in frames. Paste empowering quotations and mantras around your cubicle to aid in motivation. Add color, and use containers and supplies that scream you. The list goes on.

Decorate your desk like it is home to make you feel at home. There are tons of reference photos going around in the Internet if you’re lacking ideas. It is important however to ask for permission as certain decor may not be allowed in your office.

4. Declutter your clutter.

A cluttered work station can cause stress, exhaustion, annoyance, frustration, and generally wear down your mental state, as a study from Princeton University found out.

Clutter can impact your decision-making skills in a negative light, and more than you realize it. This is why it is essential to restore a sense of order into your work. Clean out papers and files around your desk and organize your folders and documents in your laptop as well.

It doesn’t have to be much of an effort. Doing this 1 to 2 times a week is enough. You’ll thank yourself for it, for sure.